Unyielding

Springing as a salmon up the narrows

of the unforgiving hourglass' neck

Straining against's time's cruel harrows

and surrender's tempting beck

How swiftly does the darkness fall

Shadows fill the night-lit hall

Spirits crushed, passions flee

The lonely candle's flame is choked

By garrottes bloodsoaked - 

hearest thou their scornful glee?

The battle is far from over

Hold fast! 'midst fears adamant 

Lift high the standard, soldier

Look to your arms, ye valiant!

Keep the blazing torches burning

The flame of will must not die

The wheels of time are turning

Our time of glory is but nigh

Troubles and trials, come at me!

Who shall triumph? we have yet to see

For an inch of ground I will not yield

Passion my sword and grit my shield

My heart is steeled and burning bright

Once-smouldering embers have been revived

I fear not the chilling night

For my doughty companions stand at my side

Let it not be said that in terror we fell

with our backs to a pursuing foe

Let it be proclaimed by our funeral knell

That we live on still, in heart, mind, and soul

We only live - and die - but once

Seize the present, give wiles no chance

Endure, my beloved, and gallantly your race run

For golden dreams and desires await to be won

~ Josiah ~

Inner demons

the unforgiving sands of time
pour en masse
a raging flood through the narrow neck
of the hourglass

the past stifles
constricting like a noose
the old skin of a moulting cicada
struggling its old self to lose

with eager notes of merriment
the reaper's scythe hums and sings
severing past from present
sundering heartstrings

and torn a gossamer veil falls
coloured dull with dark memories
but few bright spots of happier times
windborne it drifts into unending eddies

within the gaping maw
of my personal cupboard
to clothe a massive host
of skeletons unnumbered

one day no doubt the trumpet call
shall lash out terrible and fierce
and out shall march my darkest secrets
armed with my deepest fears

Death Race

Phantom lilies in a murky pond
Memories distant of bygone
Days of a darker year
Far from near

The worsted clouds burst
From behind the sun
Forbidding and defiant
Smotheringly silent

The wild wind shrieks
Raging seeks
Lifelines to foul
Souls to devour

Traveller on a lonely road
Weak and barely clothed
Lies gasping by the wayside
With nowhere to hide

If life is a race to be run
If there's a prize to be won
For the horrors we must face
I call it 'Death Race'.